Referees to wear mics

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

4:18 PM EDT, 10/03/2005

Referees to wear mics and announce penalties to spectators and TV viewers

(CP) - Referees will wear microphones and announce penalties to spectators and to viewers watching at home when the NHL restarts with all 30 teams playing Wednesday night.

It's the latest innovation for a league eager to attract attention and lure fans after the setback losing the 2004-2005 season to a collective bargaining impasse.

The new set-up might not be in place in all arenas opening night but it will be there for each team's second home game, league officials promised Monday.

Referees will announce single and offsetting penalties in English. If there are multiple penalties at the same time, to avoid delaying games announcements will be left to arena public address systems. In every instance, the in-house announcer will repeat the referee's call, which will enable penalty calls in Montreal to continue to be relayed to spectators in French.

- www.nhl.com/news/2005/10/236510.html

[Polarice]

mrbozo said:

4:18 PM EDT, 10/03/2005

Referees to wear mics and announce penalties to spectators and TV viewers

(- www.nhl.com/news/2005/10/236510.html

If I wanted to hear from an asshole I'd fart!!!

[BadCompany]

I can see this experiment lasting about a week and a half... Is there any other sport where the players/coaches verbally abuse the referees as much as they do in hockey? Its rare that a player will get a penalty and not go to the bench without some choice words for the man with the red arm band...

I can just see it now...

"2 minutes (you %^%#*!) for obstruction to (open your &*@&^ eyes!) #34, white (and start calling some on those other (*&!%$!!!)..."

Good family entertainment...

[Disgruntled70sHab]

I heard about this earlier this morning on Sportsdesk. The very first thing I envisioned was Paul Stewart and Kerry Fraser stealing the show from the players.

Every sport has their spotlight stealers, granted. But, now guys like Fraser and Stewart will bask in this. Keep it to football I says.

Cheers.

[Manton]

Ah, I remember the days of Bobby Clarke and how he came through loud and clear one night in Toronto during a playoff game back in the 70's. His language was anything but charming to the ears.

So whose bright idea was this?

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Ah, the nude NHL.

[Habit]

I'm I the only one that thinks this will be hilarious?